Marine way and cradle for transferring boats through or above the surf to smooth



(No Model.) I 4 Sheets- Sheet 1.

J. L. STAPLES. MARINE WAY AND CRADLE FOR TRA'NSFBRRING BOATS THROUGH 0R.

ABOVE THE SURP TO SMOOTH WATER.

TIQVENTEJ .4 SheetsSheet 2i (No Model.)

- J.. E. STAPLES. MARINE WAY AND CRADLE FOR TRANSPERRIN G BOATS THROUGH OR WATER.

. ABOVE THE SITE]? TO SMOOTH NO. 321,916.

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' mammal. 4 SheetB- Sheet a.

J. E. STAPLES. MARINE WAY AND CRADLE FOR TRANSPERRING BOATS THROU ABOVE THE SURF T0 SMOOTH WATER.

Patented July '7, 1885.-

, 'INVENTEIR w M q WINE/55515 @123 nummn. v.1

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. E. STAPLES. MARINE WAY AND CRADLE FOR TRANSFERRING BOATS THROUGH 0R ABOVE THE SURF T0 SMOOTH WATER. No. 321,916. I E, Patented July '7, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN STAPLES, on YORK, MAINE.

MARINE WAY AND CRADLE FOR TRANSFERRING BOATS THROUGH 0R ABOVE THE SURF TO SMCOTH WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,916, dated July '7, 1885.

I Application filed February 28, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. STArLEs, of York,in the county of York and State of Maine, have invented anew and Improved Apparatus for Transferring Boats from the Shore to Smooth Water, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide means whereby boats containing passengers or freight can be safely and quickly transferred from highland across the beach and through the surf to the open ocean at any stage of tide; and it consists, essentially,of a slip or marine railway, upon which travels a car or cradle provided with means whereby the same is prevented from being washed or floated off the track, such car or cradle being adapted to receive a boat and transfer it with its contents from the landing to still water and return, all constructed as described below, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents an elevation of the railway and car or cradle, the latter being at the landing. The broken line indicates the waterline. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation with the ear or cradle partially submerged at the outer or lower end of the railway and with a boat secured thereto. Owing to limitations of space the railway is shown as short and steep in pro portion, and no attempt is made to show the surf or breakers. Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the car or cradle and a portion of the track and its supports. Fig. 4: is a plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a rear or end elevation of the car or cradle and a cross-section of the track and its supports. Fig. 6 is a'plan view of the rear portion of the track. Fig. 7 is adetail view showing a modification. Fig. 8 is a detail end elevation of the lower portion of the car and cross-section of the track, showing a second modification. Fig. 9 is a similar view showing a third modification.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

a in Figs. 1 and 2 represents the line of the beach, andb in the same figures represents the line of the surface of the water.

A represents trestle-work, constructed in the pieces 6 and the cross-pieces e.

manner best calculated to produce strength and resisting power, and supported by substantial piles of granite or other material B, built up from the beach and of sufficient strength and solidity to permanently resist the storms of winter. The trestle-work may be secured by bolts and nuts to said blocks, and is preferably made in sections, fastened together at A in any suitable manner, in order to facilitate its removal in the fall, if desired. The trestle-work supports the rails 0, each of which is provided with an outer horizontal flange, O, and between the rails (which form the track) are laid longitudinal strips D. (See Figs. 4'and 6.)

E is a car or cradle made in substantially the shape shown in Figs. 3, 4. and 5, its sides consisting of uprights Eand parallel horizontal strips or bars E.of the curved sh ape shown,

and its bottom consisting of the longitudinal Thus it will be seen that this cradle or cage is of open-work at both sides and bottom, so that the water passes in and through it freely.

An entrance is provided at F, of sufficient height to allow aperson to pass through it by removing portions of all the horizontal slats E save the two upper ones between two of the posts or uprights E.

It will be observed that the cradle E is preferably somewhat in excess of the height of an ordinary man,and conforms approximately in shape to the shape of an ordinary flat-bottomed boat.

Oar-wheels f, suitably secured to the under side of the cradle, run on the upper surfaces of the rails O, and safety-wheels g, secured to the horizontal portions of the bent rods 9, are hung so as to lie just under the flanges G. The supporting-rods g are held in place by means of the braced hangers G, bolted to the under side of the cradle, said rods 9 passing through the hangers and screwing into the under side of the cradle, and held therein by the nuts g, as shown in Fig. 7. The braced hangers G are of shape and strength to prevent the rods g from being forced outwardly beyond the flanges O by the action of the waves or other power.

A windlass, H, is arranged at the shore end of the track, and may be operated by hand or other power, and a rope, h, provided with a hook h catching in an eye, lr,secured in one end of the cradle, passes from the cradle around said windlass and thence below the track, being held off by the roller Z near the upper end of the track, passes around the roller m at the outer or lower end of the track, and thence to the rear end of the cradle, to which it is secured.

.A. platform or landing (not shown in the drawings) is constructed at the shore end of the trestle-work at even height with the bottom of the cradle. Persons desiring to enter the boat and be taken out beyond the surfinto smooth water step from such platform through the passage F into the cradle and thence into a boat, I, lying on the bottom thereof and secured thereto by throwing the painter over any of the posts E. By working this windlass the cradle with its contents is run down on the track through the surf into smooth water, the boat rising as the surface of the water is reached, as shown in Fig. 2, and all possibility of the cradle being washed or floated off the track by the force of the waves being obviated by the safety-whcels The boat is then released from the cradle, and is ready to go to sea. To bring passengers to the landing, the operation is reversed.

Theinner sides of the cradleare made nearly or quite vertical, and the horizontal slats E are made smooth, so that the boat may rise and fall by the action of the waves while within the cradle without the gunwale catching in the sides thereof.

This apparatus is especially adapted for use in sea-shore resorts where pleasure seekers unaccustomed to the handling of boats desire to make the passage from the landing through the surf to comparatively still water in safety and comfort.

If the cradle were removed from the trestle work, the strips D between the rails would serve as a convenient way or slide for running out a boat, but would not answer all the purposes designed to be accomplished by the eradle or car. The trestle-work is of sufficient length to be of use at all stages of the tide.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 a block, J, is shown in place of the wheel g, said block being adapted to slide under the flange 0 for the same purpose as said wheel.

The modification shown in Fig. 8 exhibits bent rods or slides L, extending into corresponding longitudinal grooves, M, cut in the inner sides of the rails in place of the safetywhcel {1, said rods extending downward from the wheel-trucks.

The modification shown in Fig. 9 dispenses with all wheels, and the cradle slides on the trestle-work, being provided with sliding-supports N, having horizontal grooves N and projections N, said projections fitting into longitudinal grooves 0 made on the inner sides of the rails, which are in turn provided with projections O, fitting into the grooves N in the supports.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cradle or car E, of substantially the shape shown, and made of open-work at its sides and bottom, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

2. The car or cradle E, of substantially the shape shown, and made of open-work at its sides and bottom, said cradle being open at its outer end and provided with a passage or entrance, F, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an apparatus for transferring small boats from high land through the surf to comparatively smooth water, the combination, with the car or cradle and the track, of safetyguards extending downward from said car and under flanges or projections which prevent said guards from rising, whereby the car or cradle is prevented from being lifted or washed off the track by the action of the water, substantial] y as set forth.

4. The combination of the car or cradle E, provided with the safety-wheels g, and the rails 0, provided with the flanges G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of the ear or cradle E, provided with the bent rods braced hangers G, and safety-wheels g, and the rails 0, provided with the flanges G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The herein-described apparatus for transferring small boats from high land through the surf to comparatively smooth water, consisting of the following parts, namely: the supporting-piles B, trestle-work A, provided with the track G G and longitudinal strips D, the open-work cradle E, provided with the wheels F and safety-wheels g, the windlass H. and rope h, connected to the cradle as specified and passing over the rollers or pulleys Z and an, all constructed substantially as and for the purpose dcseri bed.

JOHN E. STAPLES.

\Vitnesses:

E. C. SPINNREY, \V. O. SIDES. 

